2012 -- S 2438

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LC01711

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION DESIGNATE THE PORTS OF RHODE ISLAND AS DESTINATION

PORTS AS PART OF THE CURRENT PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE

MARINE HIGHWAY SHIPPING PROGRAM

     

     

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Sheehan, Walaska, Bates, and Goodwin

     Date Introduced: February 16, 2012

     Referred To: Senate Corporations

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     WHEREAS, United States Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has identified 18

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marine corridors and designated six initiatives for further development as part of “America’s

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Marine Highway Program”; and

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     WHEREAS, These all-water routes consist of 11 corridors that can serve as extensions of

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the United States transportation system; and

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     WHEREAS, These corridors identify routes where water transportation presents an

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opportunity to offer relief from landside traffic congestion, excessive air emissions, and other

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environmental concerns or challenges; and

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     WHEREAS, In these corridors, Secretary LaHood has designated the nearby Port of New

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Bedford as a Marine Highway Initiative; and

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     WHEREAS, In 2009, the Rhode Island General Assembly established a Special

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Legislative Commission to Study Potential Economic Opportunities in the Development of Port

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Facilities in Rhode Island, known as the “Port Commission,” and charged it with studying Rhode

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Island’s port-related economy, with the intent of making specific recommendations to better

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utilize Rhode Island’s coastal resources and unique geographic location to create employment

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opportunities for Rhode Islanders during the worst economic downturn since the Great

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Depression; and

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     WHEREAS, After completing three years of study, the Commission has learned that:

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     (1) The Port of Providence has received a $10.5 million TIGER grant that will fund the

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purchase and installation of two high performance harbor cranes which will enhance the port’s

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ability to continue its existing bulk material operations, while expanding its capabilities to

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accommodate container operations;

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     (2) The Port of Davisville also received a $22.3 million TIGER grant that will fund pier

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and structural improvements, and install railroad track, ballast, and ties in the Pier 2 area, as well

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as purchase a port crane; and

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     (3) These capital investments enable both facilities to better accommodate Marine

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Highway cargo shipments; and

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     (4) The ports both have extensive rail interconnections into Rhode Island’s $230 million

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Freight Rail Improvement Project; and

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     (5) The Port of Davisville also provides a 7,500-foot main runway with instrument

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landing systems, making the facility truly intermodal; and

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     (6) The Port of Providence will post a 44-foot draft, capable of accepting most world-

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scale cargo vessels; and

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     (7) Upon completion of its proposed dredging program, the Port of Davisville, the 5th

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largest auto import facility in the U.S. specializing in RO-RO and ship channel, will post a 35-

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foot draft, which will be enough to accommodate all current and future automotive ships; and

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     (8) ProvPort’s 2008 cargo volume exceeded 3.1 million tons, ranking it second in New

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England after Boston; and

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     (9) The Port of Davisville is a designated foreign trade zone (105) only eight nautical

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miles from open water and is capable of handling other cargos, such as processed fish, and project

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cargos, such as steel and wind energy components; and

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     (10) Both ports provide easy access for hinterland cargos as they are situated close to

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major interstate arteries, including the state’s $600 million I-195/I-95 relocation and enhancement

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project and the recently completed $130 million Route 403 access highway to Routes 4 and I-95;

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now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

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Providence Plantations hereby requests that the United States Department of Transportation

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designate the Ports of Rhode Island as destination ports as part of the current planning and

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implementation of the Marine Highway Shipping Program, thus yielding additional federal

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funding and creating new jobs while offering relief from landside traffic congestion, excessive air

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emissions, and other environmental concerns; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.

     

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LC01711

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S2438